Sunday, August 30th, 2009

~ an elephantjournal.com sponsored event ~

In the spirit of sisterhood and charity, the 2nd annual Venus de Miles is set for Sunday, August 30th, 2009 – meandering through the beautiful foothills outside of Boulder, Colorado. The ride is presented by and dedicated to Greenhouse Scholars, a non-profit organization that supports high-performing, under-resourced college students.

As one of only 12 supported all-women’s rides in the U.S., Venus de Miles is a unique experience. Both tenured riders and new cyclists will come together to enjoy the day. The ride is all about creating balance—promoting health, and encouraging women to have fun while they’re at it. You’ll see plenty of riders in tutus and tiaras, as well as an on-course mechanical support team with men (in skirts and wigs).

The celebration continues after the ride with a festival featuring a “Wellness Station” with acupuncture, yoga, chiropractic and mini spa treatments, as well as a healthy lunch, live music and events to entertain the whole family.

This year, Venus de Miles has also contracted Michelle Beach from Eco Cycle to serve as our official “Eco Girl”– ensuring that our ride is a waste-free as possible.

We are also proud to introduce The Venus de Miles “Dream Team” – 15 of Colorado’s most well-known female cyclists and athletes inspiring the rest of our riders. Connie Carpenter (1984 Olympic Gold Medalist), Alison Dunlap (World Cross Country Mountain Bike Champion), and Nicole DeBoom (founder of Skirt Sports) are just a few of the amazing women you’ll see.

Riders and volunteers are coming in from all over the country to join us for a truly inspiring day. We’d love to have you join us as we try and beat the $35,000 we raised for Greenhouse Scholars last year. To sign up to ride or to volunteer, we invite you to visitwww.venusdemiles.com today!

i love Venus! last year i signed up on a whim because i'd only done one other small ride before. i couldn't believe how awesome the whole event was and how well it was organized…especially given it was their first year. i hear this year is going to be even better with more festival fun – and new belgium beers too! yummm. i would encourage all the ladies out there itching to try a good first ride to give this a shot!

Full Cycle Venus de Miles Bike Club as a way to train for the Venus de Miles ride, introduce women to cycling, have fun, and benefit Greenhouse Scholars. This club now includes over 100 members and over 600 followers. Additional Venus de Miles bike clubs will be added in more cities in the future. -Jonathan Berkowitz